Indifference

from my bedroom window

There's a blizzard outside.  I love bad weather, only because it gives me an excuse to stay home and read.  This morning, after my prayers, reading the Globe (Yay, delivery is getting to be regular!), I read the message of his Holiness Pope Francis for the celebration of the XLIX World Day of Peace.  I only read paragraphs One and Two, but that's enough to get the theme.  The theme is something I know but had never thought about--indifference.

I know and so does everybody else, that human beings are the most human when we help each other.  In other words, we feel compassion for them and are moved to do something, for them.  Nowadays, the pope points out, the world seems to be callous.  People seem to be indifferent to the plight of others.  (Think of those who want to build walls to keep people out.)  (Refuse to welcome refugees.)

I see it more and more, do you?

This is the intro to the rest of the message.  That's as far as I got.  After all, I have homework to do.  I'm reading Unpacking the Boxes by Donald Hall, for my writing group.  The Street Lawyer by John Grisham, for St. Mary's Book Club.  The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown for Argonauta.  The Bull of Indiction of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy by Pope Francis for my Lay Dominican Chapter.

And silly children think snow days are just for them.